NEW BOOK: Field Guide to Mushrooms & other Fungi of South Africa
Building on the success of the first edition (2019), this revised new edition of the Field Guide to Mushrooms & other Fungi of South Africa now features 420 species – more than any mushroom book in the region. The book has been fully updated and expanded, with an additional 220 new entries and more than 1 000 new photographs.
Neither plant nor animal, mushrooms constitute a unique group of organisms. They appear in a staggering variety of shapes, sizes and colours, and identifying them can be challenging. Featuring the most distinctive and commonly found species in South Africa, this guide is the perfect tool for quick and accurate identification in the field.
Species entries cover diagnostic features, distribution (regional and worldwide), typical habitat, edibility and toxicity. Magnificent photographs accompany each description, making this both a practical guide and a beautiful book.
A brief introduction outlines the basic anatomy and biology of mushrooms and the vital role they play in sustaining all life. Guidelines for foraging and photographing mushrooms are also included.
Packed with information, this field guide will be welcomed by all mushroom enthusiasts and nature lovers in general.
About the authors
Gary B. Goldman is an amateur mycologist and active on a variety of online mycology forums. Known as the “Mushroom Fundi”, he leads foraging expeditions in and around the Cape and on wine farms in the greater region. He also provides a mushroom identification service.
Marieka Gryzenhout (PhD) is a professional mycologist in the Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State, where she holds a research chair in medicinal and psychoactive fungi. She is the author and co-author of numerous scientific papers and books on mycology, and passionately promotes an interest in the subject among nature lovers and citizen scientists.
A former meteorologist, Liz Popich has been photographing mushrooms and other fungi for nearly two decades. She is an active contributor to a variety of online mycology platforms and databases dedicated to documenting fungal diversity and assisting with identification.
